IDEAL Future Work Package 2 Report

31 Figure 9: Challenges in supporting effective use of technology in teaching (1=major problem; 2=problem; 3 not really a problem;4= it is not a problem Many educators and educational leaders, spoke of their experience of digital learning practices in schools and highlighted the lack of critical use of digital learning technology. In many instances technology is used as reward and an occasional tool rather than being fully integrated into teaching and learning. In all countries there was concern of the lack of criticality in particular with regard to embedding technology into curricula and learning. The challenge is the use of technology for its own sake - it is used in lessons for fun, interest or simply for use, but lacks pedagogical justification and does not lead to the desired result. It helps to keep the attention of the class when the teacher lacks classroom management or other pedagogical skills, but it inhibits the meaning and the outcome of the lesson. (LV 18 years as school leader) “ And when working with children you have to be clear about the positive parts and the negative parts. We cannot make children believe that all the information on social media is true. There are also problems such as cyberbullying, so we must be very clear about the negative aspects of technologies and when implementing them in the classroom or in another area we have to be careful.” (Sp P13) Like in other skills I've been to, and when they introduce technology, it's like a novelty and it's like this new things with nearly it's like you use 15 minutes of the class to just settle them down when they get there. It's just kind of a disaster. So yeah, I don't know. Like, I think, like schools should definitely start introducing it as more of like an like an all the time thing like they should have them in every class. (IE P20) During the discussion leaders spoke of how teachers and students inherent beliefs about technology impact how it is integrated into the curriculum. The sporadic use of technology results in a novelty mindset that can lead to classroom management problems rather than digital learning being a routine learning tool. What I was a constant battle, was the gamification of the technology. And how the technology was perceived by the students and the teachers. I was very, very conscious and deliberate about how I would have led that aspect. I would have said, look, it's not a reward. Yeah, a lot of people see it like that…... I want it to be seen as a kind of just a normal learning to a normal learning to like mathemagic or bonifant to there get that out there. (IE P25) In France and Latvia in particular there was concern that there was a technocentric focus regarding the way technology was being used with lack of critical consideration of how it can add value. In 0 0,5 1 1,5 2 2,5 3 Disparate skills levels of teachers Teacher beliefs about pedagogical relevance… Difficulties in identifying innovative… Overloaded curriculum Difficulties in identifying ways to integrate… Lack of examples of effective approaches to… OTHER